This album is relaxed, friendly, and a lot of fun. It is their true statement of purpose, capturing Trey Anastasio's unique visions in their rawest form. "Reba," with its absurd lyrics, intricate design, and renegade momentum is o...This album is relaxed, friendly, and a lot of fun. It is their true statement of purpose, capturing Trey Anastasio's unique visions in their rawest form. "Reba," with its absurd lyrics, intricate design, and renegade momentum is one of their best moments, neatly summarizing the band's philosophy in 12 minutes. Anastasio may have played with greater force and potency later on, but his creative spark was rarely brighter than here, and he proves himself to be not only a student, but a master of many divergent styles. ~ Jim Smith, All Music Guide

Phish's The Story of the Ghost, the ninth album from neo-hippieville's most proficient and clever players, is the group's most commercially accessible offering to date, a slinky (and slightly funky) trip through a slim conceptual ...Phish's The Story of the Ghost, the ninth album from neo-hippieville's most proficient and clever players, is the group's most commercially accessible offering to date, a slinky (and slightly funky) trip through a slim conceptual piece about a life-affirming spiritual quest -- or something like that; it all gets pretty confusing midway through. But Phish has never been a very literary group; instead, its fervent cult feasts on the technical agility of the band's prime and skilled instrumentalists, which is on grand display here. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide

During the time Live in Brooklyn was recorded, Vermont's fantastic four had decided to call it quits, again, after two decades playing together with a small "breakup" lodged in between. So there was more than a little melancholy s...During the time Live in Brooklyn was recorded, Vermont's fantastic four had decided to call it quits, again, after two decades playing together with a small "breakup" lodged in between. So there was more than a little melancholy surrounding what was to be the band's absolute, unquestionable, no-looking-back, there-will-never-be-a-summer-tour-ever-again final tour. Even lead singer/guitarist Trey Anastasio, during a lengthy interview with Guitar World, claimed that it would take a lot to get the group back together and move forward, simply because he doesn't want to turn into one of those nostalgic jam bands. Whatever the case may be, the group has since offered several archive releases to pacify the hordes of fans wanting to relive the magic, Live in Brooklyn among those releases. For anyone who followed the group throughout the tour (either online or in person), they already know Phish offered up some of their most expansive and energetic sets of the past ten years and the Brooklyn shows (featuring guest cameos not included in this three-CD set) were no exception. No member of the group is resting on his laurels, as the band plays with renewed energy and confidence and even brings out some of their oldest, rarely performed material (check the amazing version of "The Curtain With") for the long goodbye. So until that much speculated reunion and Phish 3.0 comes along, this will have to appease the die-hard fanatics looking for high-quality recordings. It does the job and does it well. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide « less… more »

Phish reunited unexpectedly late in the summer of 2002. It was a bit of a shock, since their announced hiatus of 2000 seemed at least semi-permanent, yet this didn't have the vibe of a cash-in, even if their respective solo projec...Phish reunited unexpectedly late in the summer of 2002. It was a bit of a shock, since their announced hiatus of 2000 seemed at least semi-permanent, yet this didn't have the vibe of a cash-in, even if their respective solo projects of the early 2000s didn't make many waves. The impromptu reunion felt spontaneous, as if the band simply felt like playing again. Certainly, the resulting album, Round Room, feels ramshackle, laid-back, and haphazard. Released mere months after its recording, it doesn't so much sound haphazard as it does unfinished, as if you're eavesdropping on a band rehearsal or even a writing session. Apart from the lovely, understated Farmhouse, Phish albums always meander, so it's nothing new that the focus is fuzzy on Round Room. What's weird is that there's very little shape to the songs. Often, only a bare sketch of a song is discernible, and even those are never played as if that sketch is final. Which all makes for kind of a murky listen and certainly not the cash-in crossover that a publicized reunion of a cult favorite could have been. Unfortunately, it's not particularly interesting, either, since it lacks the spirit of their live improvisations or, say, the layered ambitions of Trey Anastasio's excellent solo album of 2002. It is intermittently fascinating, particularly because this is as unvarnished as any album by a major artist, but instead of revealing a new side of Phish, it just sounds incomplete. Although this is kind of a disappointment, it's also kind of admirable because the band isn't afraid to work out the kinks in public, and it has enough intriguing ideas scattered throughout to suggest that now that this is out of their system, they have a better album ahead of them. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide « less… more »

With great sound and better playing, Phish's debut Junta is highly recommended whether you're starting to discover Phish or are backing up to the beginning. It may be a bit long-winded and unfocused, yet it establishes their dedic...With great sound and better playing, Phish's debut Junta is highly recommended whether you're starting to discover Phish or are backing up to the beginning. It may be a bit long-winded and unfocused, yet it establishes their dedication to musical exploration effectively -- not to mention the typical wild and woolly Phish humor spilling out all over the lengthy tracks. [A 2-CD Elektra reissue features six bonus tracks, including three recorded live in 1988 at Nectar's (the club that gave Phish their start with a regular gig). The live tracks are somewhat dubious in sonic terms, but they're excellent for revealing the improvisational side of the band -- the 25:31 "Union Federal" totters to a start and has a couple of wobbly moments, but it's actually fun to listen to.] ~ Steven McDonald & David Jehnzen, All Music Guide « less… more »

There's a sense of sadness and tragedy when one hears Page McConnell talk about how rejuvenated Phish was during 2003, and how the bandmembers had rediscovered their creative center and musical focus in a way that would take them ...There's a sense of sadness and tragedy when one hears Page McConnell talk about how rejuvenated Phish was during 2003, and how the bandmembers had rediscovered their creative center and musical focus in a way that would take them through the next two decades -- especially when one considers that they announced the band's permanent breakup with the release of Undermind less than a year later. The two-disc IT DVD is part documentary, part live concert, and part behind-the-scenes look at the IT Festival they threw in Limestone, ME, during 2003. While the performance is nowhere near Phish during its prime, the live footage is beautifully shot with a full-on movie crew and tastefully edited and rearranged. The interview segments are insightful, with enough material to please die-hard fans but accessible enough for newbies to follow along. The definite highlight of the set is the jam on "The Tower," a full-on free-form rock/experimental excursion that shows the bandmembers pushing the envelope and testing their musical abilities, exploring waters rarely charted. It's a bittersweet souvenir, but one that is definitely a highlight in the band's gigantic catalog. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide « less… more »

The party line on Phish is that the band's live shows are so extraordinary, their studio records are almost superfluous by comparison; frankly, it's a ridiculous contention -- apples and oranges, really -- and moreover, each succe...The party line on Phish is that the band's live shows are so extraordinary, their studio records are almost superfluous by comparison; frankly, it's a ridiculous contention -- apples and oranges, really -- and moreover, each successive Phish album reveals new layers of intricacy and melodic invention otherwise lost in the epic explosiveness of their concert sets. Their rootsiest and most organic effort to date, Farmhouse is also their most fully developed -- these are complete, concise songs and not simply outlines for extended jams, boasting a beauty and intimacy which expands the group's scope even as it serves notice of a newfound pop accessibility. It's a brave record, much less an exhibition of the band's vaunted instrumental prowess than it is a showcase for Trey Anastasio's increasingly skilled and far-reaching songwriting. The opening title cut, a gorgeously rustic country-pop ballad, immediately establishes Farmhouse's muted, relaxed tone, and despite the occasional detour like the sunny funk workout "Gotta Jibboo" or the closing instrumental jam "First Tube," by and large the set opts against kitchen-sink eclecticism in favor of an evocatively pastoral uniformity. In short, Farmhouse is everything Phish's die-hard legions no doubt hoped it wouldn't be, but as a radical reassessment of their music's purpose and approach, in many ways it's closer to the band's true spirit of innovation than any record they've made. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide « less… more »

Comprising material from a trio of shows in Atlanta, this eight-disc box set captures Phish's ascent to jam band glory in early 1993. The group had begun touring national amphitheaters one year prior, joining bands like Widespread...Comprising material from a trio of shows in Atlanta, this eight-disc box set captures Phish's ascent to jam band glory in early 1993. The group had begun touring national amphitheaters one year prior, joining bands like Widespread Panic and Blues Traveler for the first annual H.O.R.D.E. Festival. 1993 brought about the band's first amphitheater-sized headlining tour, and At the Roxy captures the young (yet seasoned) musicians on their way to iconic status. Given this box set's length -- 78 songs, eight discs, and multiple hours of noodling improv -- At the Roxy is a fans-only affair; newcomers looking for a primer to Phish's concerts would do well to seek out the three-disc New Year's Eve 1995 instead. Those who crave a boatful of Phish will find this to be an indispensable collector's item, though, for the history it provides as well as its unique track list. Phish had yet to release a live album in 1993; accordingly, the band was still a relatively underground phenomenon, celebrated in some circles but relatively unknown in the mainstream. There's something pure about that, and the fact that Phish sustains its energy over these eight discs -- which brim with cover songs and musical cameos, including an unexpected sit-in with Gene Simmons (!!) -- only further justifies these shows' legendary reputation amongst Phishheads. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide « less… more »

Released a mere two years after Phish's first live album, Slip, Stitch & Pass, the group's second live record, surpasses its predecessor in many ways, drawing a more complete picture of the Phish concert experience. Spanning two d...Released a mere two years after Phish's first live album, Slip, Stitch & Pass, the group's second live record, surpasses its predecessor in many ways, drawing a more complete picture of the Phish concert experience. Spanning two discs, A Live One had the scope of a Phish concert but there's actually more adventure and surprise on Slip, Stitch & Pass, whether it's in the group's improvisations or the inventive cover of Talking Heads' "Cities." It's not the kind of record that will convert the skeptical -- there are simply too many long, involved instrumental passages that many doubters will label "indulgent" -- but it's the closest Phish has come to capturing their live spirit on record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide « less… more »

I usually wouldn't recommend a studio album from Phish. However, this is the one that truly got me into the band -- to jam bands in general, really. In fact, it was really just one song, the title track. Listen to Farmhouse, it'll...I usually wouldn't recommend a studio album from Phish. However, this is the one that truly got me into the band -- to jam bands in general, really. In fact, it was really just one song, the title track. Listen to Farmhouse, it'll change your life.

Without question, the best Phish album of all time. The set consist of 6 discs that cover two full concerts. The shows were recorded in '98 and the set was released the following here.
Not to mention, the title is a hilarious ...Without question, the best Phish album of all time. The set consist of 6 discs that cover two full concerts. The shows were recorded in '98 and the set was released the following here.
Not to mention, the title is a hilarious pun on the Peter Frampton album.

A band like Phish is better live than on a studio album, right. We're not talking quantum physics here, it's true. This '95 release is a double disc with 12 classic songs and all the jam bandy-ness you could ever hope for.